Birthday Surprises
by JulieM
Summary: Set after the events of ‘Doorstep Angel.’ Does Mac have a surpise birthday present in store for her husband and son? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1 Toy Trawling

Birthday Surprises

AN: Sorry this follow-up has taken so long! Set after the events of 'Doorstep Angel.' If you haven't yet read this fic yet, I suggest you do. Because this one is only four parts long, I'm going to post them one after another. I know how y'all hate to wait!

Disclaimer: JAG and its main characters belong to DPB and to CBS. I don't make any profit from writing any of these fics, but simply get to exercise my overactive imagination every now and then. Please don't sue me, as I'm just a student with no money!

Rating: Pretty much PG (T.) Sorry folks, but I think you'll like it anyway!

Category: H/M shipper.

Spoilers: Not really. Set sometime after the arrival of the Roberts twins. Mattie isn't really mentioned, so disregard her character. The idea just worked better without her around.

Part 1

1605 Zulu,

Beldenberg Toys,

Sommerset Mall.

Georgetown

Harm whistled as his happy little family made there way around the large toy store.

"Ooo!" his son, Calum, would exclaimed upon occasion and each time, Harm and Mac would pause to take to boxed object off the shelf and examine it.

"Cool!"

This time, the object in question was a children plant cultivating kit. Harm and Mac didn't know quite where Calum's enthusiasm was coming from, because he's never really expressed an interest in anything like this before.

"Um, buddy? Do you know what this is for?" Harm asked.

Mac elbowed him and silenced any further comment with a glare.

Harm had not meant to discourage the little boy, for he and Mac had earlier agreed to let Calum choose whatever he wanted (Within reason, of course!) After all, it was his fifth birthday (and his first as part of this family) in a little under three weeks time.

Despite Harm's enquiry, Calum seemed unaffected.

"Yeah," he nodded, answering his Father, "It's a plant grower!"

"Yes it is," Mac told the boy, lifting the box from his hands and placing it back on the shelf, "And it does look cool, but I think we should look at the rest of the toys in the store first. You may see something you want more and if you don't, we'll come back here closer to your birthday, okay sweetie?"

Calum nodded that he was amenable to those terms and continued down the aisle.

Over the next half hour Calum continued to point out items of interest, but Harm didn't seem too enthusiastic about some of his choices; they included a bead kit, a doll, little animal figurines that were dressed like humans and a nail painting kit.

"Isn't this cool, Calum?" Harm eventually gave in and picked up a very boyish action figure, "Look, Commander Crush comes with a gun, hand grenades, a walkie-talkie and a hunting knife…"

Calum just shrugged, unimpressed and wandered on further.

Harm didn't manage to say anything more before Mac snatched 'Commander Crush' out of his hands.

"What did we agree, Harm?" she rounded on his once Calum was out of ear-shot, "No influencing his decision! He has to develop his own opinion, choose his own toys."

"But Mac," Harm protested, weakly, "Most of those were girl's toys!"

"Little girls play with toys marketed at little boys," Mac pointed out, "The same is true for little girl's toys."

"Well, some of them weren't suitable for his age," Harm made another feeble attempt at getting Mac to change her mind."

"Some of them were," Mac nodded, "But not all of them. And if the ones he wants are suitable then he is going to get them."

Harm sighed and trailed along behind Mac as they followed after their son, who was now looking at another shelf.

Harm suppressed a groan as he noted it was a little girl's handicraft set. What he wouldn't give for a robot/ninja!

"Did you know, Harm," Mac attempted to diffuse the tension, "that my favorite toy when I was a kid was a GI Joe?"

Harm chuckled as he shook his head.

"Although, knowing you as the kick-ass marine you are now, I must say, it isn't a surprise!" he added.

A little over twenty minutes later, Harm and Calum split ways with Mac, so Father and Son could go to the petting zoo set up at the other end of the mall.

"Have a good time, you two," Mac kissed them both goodbye, "Mommy's going to do the grocery shopping…"

However, once they were both out of sight, she went back into the toy store.

This was a carefully constructed ruse she and Harm had come up with to let Calum choose what he wanted, yet still provide him with a surprise on his birthday. Harm had once told her of his childhood disappointment at not getting what he wanted for his birthday and Mac had pointed out that if he had picked out his own presents, the surprise would be spoiled. Together they had come up with this idea. Of course, they would get a few things that would be a complete surprise, but Mac doubted that Calum would remember everything that he had wanted for his birthday, anyway. Besides, there were always presents from other family and friends, weren't there?

With that, Mac grabbed a cart and wandered back towards the aisles.

AN: This was actually a trick my parents used to use with me and my sister growing up. LOL!. Both my parents grew up in big families where money was very tight, so when my sister and I came along, they wanted to give us everything they had never gotten themselves. Despite this, I think my sister and I were not at all screaming little brats, saying 'I want this, I want that.'

But I do have very fond memories of going to play with my Dad in the amusement arcade across the mall from Toys R Us! Anyone other girls out there whose favorite toys growing up were Ghost Busters!


	2. Chapter 2 Flashing Lights

See part 1 for disclaimer

Part 2

1710 Zulu,

across the mall.

Harm and Calum were having such a good time at the petting zoo that they didn't even notice the group of paramedics run past them and in the direction of the toy store.

"Look Daddy!" Calum shouted, excitedly, attempting to lift a giant English Lop rabbit as big as a medium sized dog, "BIG bunny wabbit!"

They had spent the past fifteen minutes there, stopping to pet and talk to every single animal in attendance. Aptly, the petting zoo was called "Noah's." Calum was in his element.

"Daddy, look!"

"Oh yeah," Harm nodded, only half paying attention, as he tried to free his shirt from the mouth of a rogue billy goat. At the same time he noticed that a little female goat was trying to get too friendly with his left leg.

"Daddy, you're not looking!" Calum accused.

"Sorry, kiddo!" Harm apologized, "Daddy's just looking at the goats. Aren't they…um…cute?"

The billy goat then proved that he was no such thing by unleashing a flourish of little pellets on Harm's new sneakers.

Harm managed to shake them off and joined his son in the rabbit pen, where the boy was still enamored by the rabbit.

"She's so cute!" he enthused.

Harm smiled to himself and joked, "How do you know it isn't a 'he'?"

The joke was lost on the little boy and he innocently replied, "No Daddy, don't be silly! That's her tail, not her…"

"Alright!" Harm swiftly cut him off, "Why don't we see what other little critters they've got here?"

'Too young,' he told himself, 'He's too young to appreciate the humor.'

They were admiring the parrot aviary when Harm heard they announcement over the tannoy system.

"Would Mr. Rabb please report to Beldenberg Toys, please…"

"Uh-oh," he pulled Calum away from the petting zoo, "Sorry buddy, we have to go now…"

"Mac?" Harm shouted, as he sped through the toy store.

'Damn,' he thought to himself, 'This place is huge! Where is Mac?'

"Daddy," Calum protested, running double-time to keep up, "Not so fast!"

"Sorry buddy," Harm apologized, before they turned a corner and caught sight of a large crowd of people.

"Mac?"

Harm was off again and again unmindful of his son's little legs.

"Daddy!"

"Harm?" Mac's voice cut off anything more the boy might have been about to say.

Bursting through the crowd, Harm's heart jumped right out of his chest as he caught sight of Mac, lying on a gurney, wearing a neck brace and attached to a heart monitor.

"Mac?" Harm exclaimed, moving to her and dropping to his knees.

Mac didn't get any chance to say anything before Harm freaked out and started fussing over her.

"No, Harm!" she tried to stop his rambling, but they were both cut off by their son.

"Mommy!" Calum wailed as his face crumpled and he burst into tears.

"Oh no, no, no, honey! It's okay, really. Mommy's okay…"

Harm swiftly turned and scooped their son up into his arms as the paramedics lifted the gurney to full height and began to push it to the nearest entrance, where the ambulance waited.

"No, I already told you," Mac turned her attention towards the paramedics, "There's nothing wrong with me, I just fainted, that's all. My blood sugar was probably just low."

"We'd rather make sure at the hospital, Ma'am."

"I know what my rights are," Mac continued, "I'm a lawyer."

The medics just glanced at each other in alarm and began to push the gurney faster.

Calum was still near-hysterical in Harm's arms

Mac sighed and muttered, "Where are we, for goodness sakes? Disney World?"


	3. Chapter 3 'Two Percent' Jackpot

Part 3

1903 Zulu,

Georgetown University Hospital.

Harm was very worried as he sat in the waiting room with their son. Fifty minutes had passed since he had left Mac to allow the doctor to examine her. And still nobody had come to tell them anything.

Calum was now a bit calmer after Mac had assured them both several times that she felt fine and would only go through tests to put all their minds completely at ease. Still, Calum gave a little sniffle every now and them, whilst sucking his thumb.

"Don't you worry, buddy," Harm stroked his hair, soothingly, "Mommy's just fine."

But Harm still wouldn't truly believe that until Mac's doctors told him that.

Finally a staff member in a white coat emerged through the door.

Harm released a breath of relief as the doctor told smiled and said, "Nothing to worry about, Mr. Rabb. Your fiancée is just fine…"

"Daddy?" Calum asked, quietly, "What's a f…a fee..?"

"It means that Daddy and Mommy love each other and are going to get married, son…"

Without even taking a breath, he asked the doctor, "She did faint?"

The man smiled and nodded, telling Harm, "We just wanted to make sure and run precautionary tests…We think she had just spent too much time on her feet."

Harm's mind did briefly consider this odd, as Mac spent a lot of her time on her feet as a lawyer, especially if she was in court. But he quickly pushed the thought aside.

"But what else would she stand on, Daddy?" Calum puzzled aloud.

Harm hushed him softly then continued to question the doctor.

Calum then began to giggle loudly and exclaimed, "Her head!"

Even the doctor couldn't help but laugh and Harm muttered "No son, that's just what Daddy does to keep Mommy happy…And she's worth all of the effort, too!"

The joke was again lost on the child, but not on the doctor, who added, "Yes, they usually are!"

He then showed them to Mac's room (or rather curtained cubicle.)

When Harm put his head around the curtain, Mac was just buttoning up her blouse, having just changed out of the hospital gown.

"Hey there, squid! She greeted him, then Calum, who ran in and was lifted by Harm onto the bed.

"Hey mini-squid!"

"Mommy!" Calum collapsed into her arms.

"Oh, Mac," Harm added to the 'scrum' as he hugged the two of them, "You scared the life out of us!"

"I told you," Mac rolled her eyes, exasperated, "I just fainted. The store was stuffy…and worried about being sued! That's why they insisted on calling an ambulance."

"The doctor said you'd been on your feet for too long," Harm nodded, "You've been working too hard, Marine."

"Actually," Mac hesitated, "the doctor's tests confirmed what I already had a suspicion about…"

"Is there something wrong, Mac?" Harm asked, his voice hushed, obviously worried again.

"No," Mac insisted, "but…"

"But…" Harm prompted.

"We're actually very lucky, Harm."

"We are?"

"Yeah, we've just hit the jackpot."

Harm now looked plain confused, so Mac continued.

"Our own 'two percent' lottery…I'm pregnant."

Harm's jaw dropped at her last words as their meaning permeated his brain. He then floundered for words to quite express the sentiment expanding in his chest.

"WAHOO!" he finally found something suitable (semi-appropriate!)

Harm's cry echoed through the ER and a couple of other patients and staff members chuckled in amusement.

Mac laughed as Harm lifted her into his arms and twirled her around once before setting her back down on the bed.

"Daddy?" Calum piped giggled as his Dad picked him up and did the same to him, "What's p…pr…"

"Mommy's having a baby, sweetie," Mac explained, still beaming like a lighthouse beacon, "Would you like that? A baby brother or sister?"

"Cool!" Calum grinned.

"Well said, young'un," Harm approved, but turned back to his fiancée.

"Wait, you already knew about the baby?"

"I was pretty sure," Mac nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me…"

Harm corrected himself as Calum gave his shirt a tug, a sharp, pointed look on his face,

"I mean us…"

"I wanted to surprise you," Mac justified, laughing.

"You did!" Harm laughed as well and added, "But next time, I'd rather you didn't go about it quite like that!"

Mac was about to point out that she hadn't intended to, but Calum piped up again.

"Mommy, where's the baby? I wanna see it."

"No sweetie," Mac explained softly, hugging her son, "The baby's not here yet. It's still in Mommy's tummy."

Harm picked their son up as Mac grabbed her handbag and they made their way to the exit. Harm wrapped his free arm around his fiancée as they headed out when Calum came up with another question.

"Mommy, how did the baby get in you tummy?"

Harm and Mac looked at each other with a smile and Mac told him,

"Mommy will explain later, sweetie."

1300 Zulu,

Rabb Residence.

Calum was the life of the party, a few weeks later.

"Do you think it's the sugar," Harriet asked, amused at the sight of Calum ripping around the living room, "or the good news?"

She and Bud had arrived and been told the good news earlier in the week.

"He's been on cloud nine since Mac told us," Harm beamed, wrapping Mac in his arms.

"Calum, sweetie!" Harm's Mom, who had flown in the week before, summoned him to the telephone, "Grandpa Frank wants to speak to you for just a minute."

Frank had not been able to make it, but had promised to phone.

"Hi Grandpa Frank!" Calum squealed, excitedly.

"Hey birthday boy! Did you get lots of presents?"

"Yeah!"

"Did you like them all?"

"Yeah! Even the underpants!"

Frank let out a bark of laughter and continued.

"Great! What else did you get?"

"Um…Forest friends and a plant grower and a doll…and a commander crush…and a toy car…"

At this, Mac looked to Harm, who looked away, assuming a face of perfect innocence.

"And what was your favorite present?"

"The baby in Mommy's tummy!" Calum announced, loudly, "And guess what Grandpa Frank?"

Frank stopped laughing long enough to ask, "What?"

"Mommy said that Daddy gave her the baby, but I can't see it yet, because it's in Mommy's tummy…Do you think Mommy ate the baby, Grandpa Frank?"

Frank could only laugh at Calum's conclusion.


	4. Epilogue – Some tough questions ahead

See part 1 for disclaimer

Epilogue – Some tough questions ahead

"But Mommy, how did the baby get in your tummy if you didn't eat it?"

"I told you, Calum. Daddy gave me the baby."

"But how?"

"Because Daddy loves Mommy."

"I know _why_. _How_?"

"Well, the baby is still very small…"

"So you put the tiny baby into Mommy's tummy, Daddy?"

"Yeah, exactly."

"How exactly, Daddy?"

"You just don't give up, do you?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Well, let's see…Mommy and Daddy said that they loved each other and that they

wanted to get married, then Mommy and Daddy cuddled…"

"How are we going to see the baby if it's very small, Mommy?"

"Because while the baby is in my tummy, it's going to grow bigger."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. And when the baby has grown a bit and my belly's gotten bigger, we'll all be able to feel the baby kick inside me."

"Cool! But Mommy…"

"Yes sweetie?"

"Can the baby sleep in my room?"

The End


End file.
